Nick’s Legacy Fund

A Tribute To Nicholas aka “Nick”On December 6, 2012, Nick crossed over the “Rainbow Bridge.” After three and a half years of treatments, love and daily care, Nick lost his battle to cancer. This incredible horse left all of us with something special. We all gave him so much, but not compared to what Nick gave us. His extraordinary strength, commitment to healing, his sparkly eyes were evident until the very moment he was laid to rest. Thank you Dr. Hutchison for helping Nick transition into greener pastures. You made it possible for Nick to finally be free of pain in a dignified and peaceful way.

Nick is buried in Freedom Park and will forever hold a special place here at the sanctuary and in all of our hearts. You are all welcome to bring a token for his Christmas tree, or just spend time in the park honoring him.

The Nick Legacy Fund has been created in Nick’s memory in order to help us assist other horses like Nick. Our goal is to raise the necessary funds to offer “over and above” medical services to horses who need that extra special medical assistance, whether it be a prescription, a special supplement, intense treatment or a specialized piece of equipment.

Donate to the Nicholas Legacy Fund on-line through PayPal:

Or if you would prefer you can donate using a Debit/Credit card by calling our office at 520-398-2814.

You may also donate with a check, you can mail it to: Equine Voices PO Box 1685 Green Valley AZ 85622

For a limited time only, we are giving away Nick’s bracelet “Love, Light & Healing” for donations of $50 or more to Nick’s Legacy Fund.

Nick’s Story

Nick

Nick, before

August 15, 2012

As you know, Nick was the only survivor of a barn fire and has been diagnosed with cancer. For all of you who have been following Nick’s story, you will be thrilled to know that he is continuing to heal. Nick is full of life and he was happy to go for a walk with Kristin his weekend caretaker. We continue to raise the necessary funds to support his treatments and continue to have hope that this wonderful horse will someday live a life free of cancer, burn injuries and one without the memory of the horrible fire he was in.

Sadly, the fate of our equine friends is many times uncertain. Horses get traded, sold, and abandoned so often, they seem like baseball trading cards. When I was a kid, my mother, while I was away at college, surely not meaning any harm, gave my whole collection of valuable cards away not realizing their value. Unfortunately, this is the common fate of many of our four legged friends, sometimes for cost-of-feeding reasons, sometimes for relocation reasons, and sometimes, and all too often, as the result of uncaring jerks shirking their responsibility. The latter is how Vacquero, renamed Nicholas,”the Saint” of love and compassion thanks to the thoughtful Stella, came to us. Once again, we’re able to rescue a great horse as a result of thoughtless humans. Through the tireless and selfless work of Gwen, our devoted Phoenix volunteer, he is safely with EV and is getting the care he should have had YEARS ago. Here’s what happened…

Between 4 and 5 years ago, Nick was the sole survivor of a horrific fire, so horrific that he was the only horse to make it out of the barn alive, but not without severe injury. His entire back was scorched, leaving all the skin to resemble white barnacles on the underside of a boat. His back looks like what you have left the morning after you have a roaring fire in the fireplace, white ash-colored bubbles. For just one moment, imagine the PAIN!

If flames don’t kill a horse in a fire, the pneumonia afterwards usually does. But, Nick was meant to survive, and he did, well, sort of… it seems that his subsequent owners, which apparently included a “rescue,” did little to help him recover, and knowing his beautiful personality, this volunteer finds it hard to believe. He ultimately ended up among 11 other horses owned by a couple that soon divorced leaving the horses in a lurch. Little if anything was ever done to relieve the pain or attend to the problem. His back has been like this ever since, full of bleeding scabs after rolling, and nothing to ease the pain. Apparently many times the owner ran out of money half way through the month leaving the horses with no food!

Nick is one of the sweetest horses we have, and as most of you know, we have many great ones. Horses seem to have the unique ability to forgive and forget and hold the next owner harmless. Nick was ignored as far as the rehabilitation process, nothing was done apparently to remedy his badly scorched back, imagine the pain! For four years he has endured what most of us would rather succumb to, but he didn’t, and we are now lucky to have him. This six-year old sorrel gelding has a lot of life to live, and we want to help him live it. Karen found him a new expensive, almost untried, medicine discovered by Mo, another hardy volunteer. This spray is helping Nick’s hair grow back where none existed!

** A special THANK YOU to Petkingbrands for their donation of Zymox, the spray that is helping fight the infection on Nick’s back. For more information about Zymox, log on to www.petkingbrands.com.